


it felt like christmas time

by nesswoodfield



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F, festive christmas tree shopping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 00:00:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13134909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nesswoodfield/pseuds/nesswoodfield
Summary: Vanessa and the boys drag a reluctant Charity out to go shopping for Christmas trees. (In response to an anonymous prompt on Tumblr).





	it felt like christmas time

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas! Thank you to the anon who sent me this prompt over on Tumblr (charitywoodfield) and also a shout-out to Becca for being a second pair of eyes, you're a true gem.

“C’mon boys, don’t forget your coats! Err, Moses-- hat on your head please, not on the floor. Thank you…” Vanessa’s voice echoed around the back of the pub as though it was just born to be there; the way she scuttled around and made sure everyone had their gloves and scarves and the correct boots on too, a sign she had really settled into her new life with Charity - making her mark on the two boys who came with her, as well.

“Babe, I think I’ll just stay here, you know… You take the boys, I’m just- I need some me time and besides, you don’t need me to pick out a tree, they all look the same from where I stand.” Charity cut through, leaning against the door with an exaggeratedly solemn expression tugging at the edges of her lips.

Vanessa raised an eyebrow, shooing the kids into the back of her car, “No, c’mon. You too, Charity, it’s Christmas and besides, you get more bloody ‘me time’ than anyone I know. Nope. Not having it, in you get, go on!” She decided adamantly, throwing the other woman’s coat in her general direction before walking out and climbing into the driver’s seat after making sure Johnny and Moses were securely buckled into theirs.

It only took about three loud sighs, a few grumbles and a very strained slam of the door before Charity found herself beside her girlfriend, begrudgingly en route to whichever garden centre Vanessa had her heart set on.

“Mummy, can we get a big one?” Johnny called out from the backseat, swiftly followed by a chorus of small voices.

“Yeah! An- and one with lots of lights an’ sparklies an’ um… chocolate!”

“Oh, I’m not sure we can get a big one.” Charity’s voice cut through, causing a commotion of protest from behind, and to the side of her.

“Give over, we’re so going to have a big one! It isn’t Christmas without a big tree, and don’t worry Moses, sweetheart, we’ll make sure we get lots of decorations to go on it - hey, there might even be a few chocolate ones, we’ll have to see, won’t we? Your mum’s just being a Scrooge, she’s feeling grumpy today.” She shot Charity a teasing look out of the corner of her eye then went back to focusing on the road, humming along softly to one of the Christmas songs playing on the radio.

Charity just rolled her eyes and kicked her feet out, sighing a little. “Sure, okay- whatever, you get what you want but I’m not carrying the bags, or spending more than ten minutes choosing whatever crap’s on offer. It only comes out for a few weeks a year anyway then it’s gone - there’s really no point wasting all your money on it.”

“Oh shut up.”

“Yeah, mum. At least Vanessa lets us get a real tree.” Noah chimed in with a smile shared with the woman herself.

“Yes, well Vanessa’s going to be paying for it and all at this rate!” 

The three boys giggled in the back at how easy it was to wind their mum up and it stayed that way until they pulled up outside an overly-decorated store. A large group of varying sized trees lined the entrance, a mix of bagged and free-standing; bushy and skinny; but all smelling of Christmas. It reminded Vanessa of her childhood, how she and her mum and dad would take a trip to the same place in Hotten each year, how she would always choose the biggest one and get her dad to lift her up onto his shoulders to make sure she could reach the top.

That was until he left the festive scene anyway. 

But ever since having Johnny, Vanessa had promised herself to always make each Christmas memorable for him, to make sure he was always happy and carried that same joy and excitement that she once did. And now she would carry that promise on to Charity’s boys too because they needed more happiness than anyone else ever did and seeing them get all into the spirit lit her heart up in ways she could never imagine.

“Alright, then. Let’s go and have a look!” She announced with a grin, helping out Moses in the back and holding his hand to stop him running towards the sparkliest light he could see, Noah strolling behind them, uncharacteristically enthusiastic this time too. 

It had taken Charity a bit longer to get used to having Johnny around, but they’d gotten into a bit of a routine, he had taken to her instantly which both delighted her and scared her shitless. Or drove her to a light insanity when he showed a particular interest. But he had his mother’s eyes and God knows she could never say no to them. So as he raised his arms for her to help him out the car, he raised them again just as fast when he was set down on the ground. “Please Cha-ity…” He pleaded, jumping up and down a little for her to carry him.

“Blimey, kid. You are… You’re spoiled, you know that? Bloody spoiled.” She grumbled, reaching down to scoop him up and set him onto her hip comfortably before following Vanessa and her sons towards the trees, already way too invested for her liking. “Shall we go and indulge your mum, eh? What about if you can choose the biggest tree of them all? You think you can do that?” She asked, playing with his tiny hand as she guided them over to the trees, unable to contain the grin that came along with seeing the excitement on Johnny’s little face. He really was just like Vanessa when it came to Christmas.

Pointing vaguely over to a larger tree, he shouted, “Tha’ one! It’s well tall… An’ it’s got loads of spikies.” He explained, leaning into Charity’s shoulder; she followed his eye-line but honestly, they all were rather tall and had lots of… ‘spikies’.

“‘Ness, can we all decorate the tree this year? Like the five of us?” Noah asked, walking in and out of a bunch of smaller trees, playing some game with Moses where he tried to hide and then Noah would pretend he couldn’t see him, only to hear his younger brother burst into a fit of laughter when he jumped out and screamed at him. He would never admit it but he loved being able to make Moses laugh. And he loved having a proper family for once.  
From where Vanessa was testing how sturdy one of the trees was, she paused and smiled over at the two of them. “Of course, love. We’ll rope your mum into helping somehow, you never know, she might even crack a smile while doing it.” She laughed, jumping as Moses sprung out from behind the branch she was examining. 

His little face broke into a smile which was mirrored on her own face before she moved to chase him around the trees, eliciting a stream of shrieking laughter until he was caught, wriggling in Vanessa’s arms until he was set down again and made an instant beeline for Johnny who had come toddling over to them, followed by a slightly less energetic Charity.

“Have you not picked one yet?” She asked, folding her arms across her chest as she eyed her girlfriend, the growing act of impatience making her look like Moses when he gets tired during the weekly shop and starts to huff in his little seat. It was adorable, Vanessa had to admit.

She looped one of her arms through Charity’s crossed ones, forcing it through the gap so she could tug her into her side, leaning her against her shoulder. “Hm, no… But I think Noah likes the look of that one by the door, he’s been eyeing it up since we got here.” She noted, the two smaller boys following their older brother around the tree in question all poking it and making sure it was suitable for whatever games they had planned.

Charity hummed, squeezing Vanessa’s arm in her own, “So… Does that mean we can get it then? And then leave? Back home? Where it’s warm… And there’s wine…?” She asked hopefully, casting a look down at her, eyes pleading but also tinted with a teasing glaze, letting her know she wasn’t too serious.

“Err, no! We haven’t chosen decorations yet! Don’t think you can get away this so easily…” She noted, bumping their hips together before dragging Charity over to the boys.

“We want this one!” Johnny grinned, wiggling around as he clung onto Moses’ hand, swinging it back and forth between the branches.

Noah walked out from the back and turned to Charity, head tilting up to her, “Please, mum?” It was rare for him to be so well-mannered but he really did want it, a new tree kind of meant a new chance altogether and all he wanted was to make sure that this time it would work out. “We’ll make sure it’s good - it isn’t that big, is it Moses?” He prompted, to which his younger brother frowned a little before shaking his head.

“Nope! It’s just right… An’-- an’ Santa can fit lots of presents under it too mummy, look!” He gestured, dipping down to the ground and exaggeratedly looking to its base.

“Oh I bet he could…” How could she resist this? With Vanessa’s soft gaze encouraging her too, seeing the boys all look so happy, it was slowly becoming clear why they all enjoyed Christmas so much. It made her feel fuzzy inside. Any other year she wouldn’t be swayed into buying an extra bauble to replace one that broke but now? Now her arm was being twisted into a whole new set-up altogether. Maybe she was getting into the festive spirit. “Oh alright, it’s not like I can say no to that is it, hm?”

“Yes!!!” A roar of fist pumps and waves of manic energy hit her in the face as she laughed along with the chaos she’d enabled, relaxing into Vanessa’s embrace and practically melting at the soft look she threw her way. 

“See? That wasn’t so bad…” Charity heard Vanessa whisper before feeling lips to her cheek. They were warm and sweet in contrast to the bitter cold air surrounding them but as soon as they were there they were gone again. “I’ll just go and get someone to wrap it up in the netting while we look inside, yeah? Get the boys to start looking for some bits.” She ordered lightly before sliding away to do as she’d said. 

Charity nodded, taking hold of Johnny’s hand again as she guided the other boys inside, “C’mon then, let’s go and look at some shiny trash.” She chuckled, letting Noah lead the way through fairy lights and decorative elves and trying to guide Moses away from the carefully stacked displays and neatly trimmed trees. 

The rest of their outing went fairly well, Charity was talked into buying several packets of baubles and then Vanessa made the kids all pick out an ornament each, oh and then there was tinsel, and the fairy lights, and some little elf figures that she thought looked far too creepy to be around at Christmas but Moses loved them so she had to get them - but in the end, she really didn’t mind too much. 

She was surrounded by the people who meant most to her in life, all of whom had faces like they’d won the lottery. It was nice. Christmas was nice. 

And maybe Charity didn’t hate it as much as she initially thought.


End file.
